Patent GB-767947-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to record card controlled machines
Inventor: GHERTMAN IOINO
IPC: G06F11/10
Filed: 1953-07-22
Abstract: 767,947. Statistical apparatus. INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION. July 22, 1953, No. 20344/53. Class 106 (1). The invention relates to a machine for checking the number recorded by holes, punched in a record, against a checking symbol consisting of two components, also recorded by holes punched in the record, and derived by some predetermined arbitrary rule from the number. According to the invention, the digits of the number are derived by sensing the corresponding holes, and stored, after which a succession of computing operations, one for each digit, are effected thereon according to the arbitrary rule in question, the result being compared with the checking symbol on the record. The invention may be applied to a tape controlled machine, but is described as applied to a known " collator " machine in which sorting of a deck of cards is effected by comparison of the card numbers with their associated checking symbols, and cards found to be in error are automatically replaced by blank cards. The arbitrary rule used in the embodiment described is to (a) multiply successive digits of the number by 1, 2 and 4, respectively; (b) cross-add the products so derived after casting out the nines therefrom; (c) cast out nines as the additions are made to derive a final digit remainder representing the digit component of the checking symbol; (d) register the number of nines cast out from the successive products and the additions; (e) cast out threes from the number of nines so registered to derive a remainder representing a zone component of the symbol. Card reading, Figs. la, 2, 8. Cards from a primary hopper Pr, Fig. 1a, are fed successively past brushes 1 which sense the holes indicative of the card number, and then past brushes 2 which read the card check symbol. The card is passed to pocket P2 is its check symbol agrees with the computed value. When there is disagreement, the card is diverted into a pocket P1 and at the same time a blank card is fed from a secondary hopper Se to pocket P2 in the place of the incorrect card. During each card reading cycle of the machine cams 4, 5, 6, 15 and C1- C21 close their contacts at times indicated in Fig. 8. The digit holes of the card number are sensed during the first part of this cycle (positions 9 ... 0, Fig. 8) by brushes 7 (units), 8 (tens), 9 (hundreds), &c.... Fig. 2, which under control of relays H1-H4 energized over cams C17-C20 selectively energize storage relays 11 ... I36 corresponding to the number, each digit of the number being represented by energization of a combination of four relays I1-I4 (units), I5-I8 (tens) ... &c., up to I33-I36 (hundreds of millions). The energized storage relays are locked by their holding windings I1M ... 136M energized over cam contacts C21. Computing operations, Figs. 3-6. These are effected sequentially by closure of cam contacts C4 ... C12, but the computations for the various digits are not effected in order of their values. Thus, when (units) cam contacts C4, Fig. 3, close, potential is applied via C4 over contacts of the units storage relays 11-14 to one of the lines f0 ... f9 corresponding to the units digit stored. These lines are connected to lines g0 ... g8 (whereby nines are cast out by connecting f 9 to g0) over which and a contact BOb of a relay B0, energized at this time, a corresponding counter relay A0 ... A8 is energized and locked by way of its holding coil AOM ... A8M. Relays F0 and D0 are also energized with B0 and lock. The potential over the operative digit line f0 ... f9 is also extended via a line n0 (n1 if a nine is to be cast out) to energize a relay E0 (E1 if a nine is cast out). The units digit (u) of the record card has thus been multiplied by unity and registered on the counter AO ... A8 and any nine cast out registered on the counter E0 ... E2, these registrations being held until cam contacts C1 open. When (tens) cam contacts C5, Fig. 4, close, potential is applied thereby over contacts of the tens storage relays I5-I8, to energize a line k0 ... k9 corresponding to the tens digit (d) stored. Over the corresponding right-hand rectifier r20 ... r29 this potential is extended to a line j0 ... j8 (corresponding to twice the value of the tens digit with nines cast out), and over contacts AOb, A1b ... ASb of the operative counter relay A0 ...A8 whereby a counter relay B0 .. BS is operated corresponding to the sum of the units digit and twice the tens digit (with nines cast out). The potential over the operative tens digit line k0 ... k9 is also extended over a line p0, p1, p2 according to whether the multiplication by two of the tens digit in question requires 0, 1 or 2 nines to be cast out, to operate over contacts of the operative counter relay E0 ... E2, a counter relay F0 ... F2 corresponding to the sum of the number of nines cast out in the two cross products (u x 1) and (d Î 2). Similar computations are effected in respect of the remaining digits of the stored number as the cam contacts C6 ... C12 close, but the digits are not dealt with in numerical order. Thus cam contacts c6 effect the computation for the thousands (m) digit, followed by tens of thousands dm, millions (M) &c. as shown in Figs. 3-5. For each digital computation, however, the digital value of the operative cross product is added to the sum of the cross-products already registered on counter A0-A8, or B0 ... B8 and the new sum registered on the other counter BO ... B8, or A0 ... A8. At the same time nines cast out in determining the cross products in respect of the various digits are summed and registered alternately on counters E0 ... E2, F0 ... F2 from which threes are cast out. Nines cast out as a result of the successive addition of the cross products are registered on a counter D0, D1, D2 (from which threes are cast out) by potential applied over a line r40, Figs. 3, 5, via corresponding relays C0, C1, C2. When all the digital cross-products have been added, cam contacts C15 close and energize a counter relay G0, G1, G2 (from which threes are cast out) corresponding to the sum registered on the " cast out nines " counters D0 ... D2, E0 .. E2. The operative counter relay G0 ... G2 should correspond to the zone component of the checking symbol and the operative counter relay A0 ... A8 to the digit component thereof. These relays are held during the first part of the following cycle when the values they represent are compared with the checking symbol punched on the card, Fig. 7 (not shown), to effect sorting as above described. The machine could be used alternatively for punching the computed checking symbol in the record card.